


Not The Way To Do It

by JohnAmendAll



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 06:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5118392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnAmendAll/pseuds/JohnAmendAll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Polly begins to regret taking Ben on a luxury cruise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not The Way To Do It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lost_spook](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_spook/gifts).



When Polly had thought of taking Ben on a luxury cruise for their silver wedding anniversary, she had been unable to see any downside to the idea. Now, as their ship cautiously edged its way into the harbour at Naples, she realised just how wrong she'd been. 

"Never seen such a shower," Ben was grumbling, watching two sailors on the prow engaged in animated discussion with the harbour pilot. "In the Navy we'd be docked by now. Twice over." 

Polly put her hand round his shoulders. "It doesn't really matter, does it? We don't have to get ashore in a hurry or anything." 

"I know, I know." Ben took her free hand. "It's just... I know how things ought to be done, right? And when people aren't doing 'em right, it gets on my wick. Same with you and your magazine, I bet." 

"My magazine's just a hobby, really." Polly laughed. "And no-one there knows what they're doing. Particularly not me." 

"Dunno how you cope—" Ben began, before breaking off. "Hang on, what's that?" 

He pointed out into the sea. Surrounded by a foaming circle of water, a green, roughly triangular shape was surfacing. It was plainly some kind of submersible; it was equally clear, from its glistening, organic appearance, that it was no product of human technology. 

"Aliens?" Polly wondered. 

"People from Atlantis, maybe." Ben's eyes were fixed on the craft. "Or maybe something else. You get to hear some queer stories in the Navy." 

"I wonder what they want." 

"Reckon we'll soon find out." Ben indicated a speedboat that was emerging from the harbour and heading straight for the mysterious craft. A middle-aged, fair-haired woman was sitting alongside its driver; behind her were four armed carabinieri. At first it looked as if the boat would ram into the submersible, but at the last possible minute the driver cut the engine and swung it into a tight curve, bringing alongside the green vessel's bow. 

The woman raised a loudhailer. 

"Alien vessel, this is Mary Bone of the Torchwood Institute," she declared. "You are now prisoners of the Institute. Surrender and prepare to be boarded." Receiving no answer, she added "You have thirty seconds to comply, or I shall authorise the use of deadly force." 

Polly squeezed Ben's shoulder. 

"I see what you mean, now," she said. 

"You mean watching someone do something you know you're good at..." Ben asked, watching the woman as she discarded the loudhailer and raised an unfamiliar weapon. 

"And making such a terrible muck-up of it." Polly winced as a pulse of light from the submersible reached out to the speedboat, breaking it in two and tipping its occupants into the sea. "Exactly."


End file.
